AGE DIFFERENCE

[malika215 3]

Egyptian Embassy is never involved maybe you need to stop reading from wherever you read that

[malika215 3]

Age DOES put up a red flag. My husband was denied a visa in Morocco on Jan 3. She never once asked for any proof of relationship. He was able to answer all questions correctly. She doesn't mention and cannot mention age, but there is NOTHING else against us but age!!!! It so happens she told him our marriage was not real and he was doing it for papers. She treated him like a piece of ####### on the floor. I've gone everywhere complaining about this consulate - which, by the way, has a horrible reputation.

He had a nice file of proof put together. This is horrible, some two-bit overpaid government "clerk" with an overstated job title as "officer" gets to ruin our lives. She sent the file back to the USCIS. I called them today. The first man I got was rude. I asked for his supervisor who was lovely and said she understood - that her own mother married someone 20 years her junior. It sounds like we're going to have to re-file and I'm going to have to pack up and go there.

[malika215 3]

Great explanation of red flags and how they apply in this case but none of the above matters for petition approval. It's all about the interview. Did you mean "large differences in FINANCES"?

To the OP, yes, sometimes the Consular staff in Cairo contacts parents about whether they approve of a marriage. Count on them asking about your plans for children and whether the parents approve of your marriage and be prepared to tell the truth about any and all questions that might be asked. The reverse age difference issue coupled with the religious differences will likely raise these questions. If you were no longer of child bearing age, that would make the age difference an even bigger issue. The context of our discussion is not whether your relationship is genuine but rather, what a Consular officer will want to be satisfied about before determining whether THEY think your relationship is genuine. In doing so, they are trained and expected to consider the totality of circumstances INCLUDING the local cultural norms.

[malika215 3]

I appreciate your response regarding age difference. Morocco is filled with huge age difference marriages. I've met the people myself. It's not uncommon at all there.

The problem is they are trained, yes, however, they don't allow any room for the unconventional couple who think outside the box and more concerned with their own

happiness together than adhering to cultural norms. My husband and I are that couple. He and I have said to each other many times "no one will be able to understand this" so we accept that. We've got documentation since 2006 of knowing each other and STILL he was denied - although she never asked to see the documents. I'm

raising heck with every official in this country. I have EVERY right to be with my husband and he has every right to be with me if all the refusal is based on is age

difference. His parents love me and are fine with this. We hope to appeal, if not, I'll go there and we'll try again. But I'm one incredibly angry woman right now.

[ally and moh 3]

When my husband and I first applied for a K1 in 2009, we were returned to USCIS because of the age difference and the CO did not look at ONE piece of proof of the relationship.

A month later, I was in Jordan and we married and filed a CR1.

When we interviewed almost a year later, they still didn't look at anything we took as proof (and I had about 35 pounds of papers and pictures).

We were interviewed together and then separately by a criminal investigator from homeland security and a man for DOS. They treated us like criminals! They were basically screaming at me "you are not Muslim" and "you can't give him sons".

It was awful! We got AP for over 3 months and he finally got his visa and got here on Dec 15, 2010.

Yes an age difference is a big RED FLAG! But hang in there and hope for the best but expect the worst. You CAN win this battle!

[malika215 3]

Thank you SO much for your words of encouragement. I cannot believe you allowed them to scream at you this way.

I would have gone straight through the ceiling. I'm a very very nice woman, but if someone pulls this nonsense on

me, I am a tiger. In fact, my husband calls me a tiger!!! The judge in Morocco refused to approve a marriage for us,

and I confronted him in the court house. My husband said he was shocked when I got up and told the judge I wanted

to talk to him. When I was through, obviously he gave us permission. I called the USCIS today and complained and

had a very rude guy at first and then asked for his supervisor who was lovely and then went on to tell me her own mom

married a man 20 years her junior. I am kicking up a lot of dust here. How did they ever have the nerve to talk to you,

a citizen of the USA, in such a manner? That is so horrible. I'm sitting here stunned. You look like a very happy

couple and I wish you every happiness. Best to you!

[J&N* 68]

Age could make a tad problem, especially cause a lot of men from Egypt (and the Middle east in general) use American women just so they can move to the States, there are a lot of cases where the husband would divorce the wife once he gets his green card, I've seen some even here on Visa Journey.

So my advice would be to prove how bonafide and real your relationship is, put as much evidence as you can. Hopefully that would make it easier. There is a man from Egypt here on Visa Journey who got his K-1 visa after 12 months when it takes 6 months max! Best of luck to you guys!

[zachm611 3]

age is just a number wife is almost 30 im 24 havent had any problems

[pushbrk 13,073]

age is just a number wife is almost 30 im 24 havent had any problems

Apples and houses. Has not bearing on the subject at hand, where the age difference can be a HUGE red flag in the visa process.

[malika215 3]

Apples and houses. Has not bearing on the subject at hand, where the age difference can be a HUGE red flag in the visa process.

[Crossed_fingers 128]

Morocco and Egypt do have plenty of couples with huge age differences, but it is the men who are almost always older than the women. It is very uncommon in those countries for the woman to be significantly older than the man, if we're talking about Moroccan-Moroccan couples or Egyptian-Egyptian couples.

It's only "common" for the woman to be significantly older when the woman is Western.

[malika215 3]

Morocco and Egypt do have plenty of couples with huge age differences, but it is the men who are almost always older than the women. It is very uncommon in those countries for the woman to be significantly older than the man, if we're talking about Moroccan-Moroccan couples or Egyptian-Egyptian couples.

It's only "common" for the woman to be significantly older when the woman is Western.

yes, i should have specified that. However, there are still many, many couples with the older woman situation when they are western. Obviously the consulate is not going to see moroccan-moroccan couples with the huge age span (woman older) but they process hundreds of applications with the western woman being much older. That was my point.

[Oaragahhs 2]

Age DOES put up a red flag. My husband was denied a visa in Morocco on Jan 3. She never once asked for any proof of relationship. He was able to answer all questions correctly. She doesn't mention and cannot mention age, but there is NOTHING else against us but age!!!! It so happens she told him our marriage was not real and he was doing it for papers. She treated him like a piece of ####### on the floor. I've gone everywhere complaining about this consulate - which, by the way, has a horrible reputation.

He had a nice file of proof put together. This is horrible, some two-bit overpaid government "clerk" with an overstated job title as "officer" gets to ruin our lives. She sent the file back to the USCIS. I called them today. The first man I got was rude. I asked for his supervisor who was lovely and said she understood - that her own mother married someone 20 years her junior. It sounds like we're going to have to re-file and I'm going to have to pack up and go there.

hi malika215 ı feel sorry for both of u.dont give up.i am sure that u will be together..they should have ask for emails,phone calls,pictures..plane tickets,hotel reservation.,,and can i ask u how many times u have visited your husband in morocco...and were u with your husband at the interview time....?

melbar i hope u will get your visa soon

[Aly174 9]

We got married a little over two years ago and have gotten reports of several "visits" from officials asking about my husband and my relationship over the past year and a half. We never filed petition for visa until August of 2010, so not really sure what that was about but they were reportedly government officials. The visits have been made to his father's work place, their family apartment building and neighborhood as well as our apartment building and neighborhood.

Al hamdalillah, everyone approached knew us or of us and our marriage-how long, where we live, that we are seen out lots of times around town and always seem very happy

So you just never know...but as long as your relationship is not a secret and you "live a normal couples life" when you are visiting him there then you shouldn't have to worry about this aspect. Best wishes to you!

[jrmejia 31]

It's important you understand why you hope not. For example, if you hope not because they'll hear a different story than the one told at the interview, tell the truth at the interview. Finding out about disapproval is a totally separate issue than finding out about a material misrepresentation. If you say the parents don't approve, they are unlikely to worry about verifying the truthfulness of that statement. Their approval is not "required". It's just one piece of a big puzzle.

Ours difference is about the same as theirs. Maybe that is why I said "I hope not".